EPA Issues Violation Notice to San Francisco

Mayor London Breed says the violation notice contains "mischaracterizations, inaccuracies and falsehoods" and says the city's sewer system is one of the most effective in the country

Published October 2, 2019•Updated on October 3, 2019 at 4:42 am

The Trump administration is ratcheting up its feud with California.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday sent a notice that San Francisco is violating the federal Clean Water Act.

Last month, President Trump warned of a potential violation notice, saying the city was allowing needles and human waste to go through storm drains to the ocean -- an allegation denied by city officials.

EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler also sent Gov. Gavin Newsom a letter last week alleging waste left by the homeless in San Francisco and other cities was being improperly handled.

Mayor London Breed says the violation notice contains "mischaracterizations, inaccuracies and falsehoods" and says the city's sewer system is one of the most effective in the country.

California has filed dozens of lawsuits against Trump administration policies.

Breed issued the following statement Wednesday in response to the notice:

“The Environmental Protection Agency has been systematically dismantled and politicized under this current administration. The notice of violation issued today contained a series of mischaracterizations, inaccuracies and falsehoods, and is the latest example of the Trump administration’s attack on our city and our state. San Francisco has a combined sewer system, one of the best and most effective in the country, that ensures that all debris that flow into storm drains are filtered out at the city’s wastewater treatment plants. No debris flow out into the Bay or the Ocean. In fact, the EPA recently awarded San Francisco the largest, merit-based award it has under its competitive loan program for water infrastructure.

"The notice of violation flies in the face of years of good faith discussions convened between the City and the EPA. Like other cities across the country, San Francisco has been grappling with issues related to aging infrastructure. We have been working with the EPA to confront these challenges, many of which are currently being addressed by the Sewer System Improvement Program, a multibillion dollar effort that represents one of the largest infrastructure projects of its kind in the country.

"President Trump’s sudden concern for California’s environment is ironic considering he is undercutting the state’s ambitious vehicle emission standards and climate change plans. While the federal administration wastes its energy on political fights, San Francisco will continue to be a national leader in pushing environmental initiatives like achieving 100% renewable energy, electrifying our transportation sector, and keeping our bay and ocean clean, while also delivering safe, reliable public services to our residents.”